Wirral South MP Ben Chapman said that while he expected the news from the Environment Agency would disappoint local fishermen he welcomed the agency's efforts to "create a sustainable and well managed cockle fishing industry".
He said: "It is vital that we balance the management of the cockle fishing with protecting the ecology and wildlife of the estuary and while the cockles are small in size and number, it will not be of sustainable benefit to any party to harvest them at this time."
This year just the Salisbury bank cockle bed, near Mostyn in North Wales, will be open to fishermen on 13 and 14 July and applications are currently being processed by the Environment Agency.
According to the agency the cockle population and harvest on the Dee estuary has varied greatly over the past 20 years partly because of over-cropping. Harvesting last took place in 2003.
Alan Winstone, the agency's North Wales Coast Environment Manager said: "It is vital that we balance the management of the cockle fishery with protecting the ecological features and wildlife of the estuary.
"The problems of over-harvesting and illegal activity in the past has emphasised the need to introduce a Regulating Order to limit the number of fishermen so that we can develop a sustainable fishery which provides a regular income to those fishermen as well as protecting wildlife."
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